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June 12, 2024
Potatoes
Potato, (Solanum tuberosum), annual plant in the nightshade family (Solanaceae), grown for its starchy edible tubers. The potato is native to the Peruvian-Bolivian Andes. Potatoes are thought to have been independently domesticated several times and were largely cultivated in South America by the Incas as early as 1,800 years ago.
We had an opportunity to visit several farms in Ecuador. There are more than 4,000 varieties of native potatoes grown in the highlands of Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador. Selected over centuries for their taste, texture, shape, and color, these potato varieties are very well adapted to the harsh conditions that prevail in the Andes, at altitude ranging from 3,500 to 4,200 meters (11,500 to 13,800 feet). Farmers generally produce these native varieties with minimal or no use of agrochemicals.
This farmer is one of the two farmers in the Canar region who are trying to preserve native potato varieties. He is growing more than 40+ varieties and showed us some of the potatoes from his fields. He was so passionate about growing potatoes. We were grateful for his hospitality to invite us to his house and gave us his homemade special drinks!
References:
https://cipotato.org/potato/native-potato-varieties/
https://www.britannica.com/plant/potato
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